Brian Vickers No. 55 Aaron’s @FSU_Football Toyota Daytona Preview #Warchant

No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Driver Brian Vickers learned a lesson or two about drafting where many NASCAR fans consider a most unlikely place —on his bicycle. The avid cyclist said it was on a bicycle where the workings of aerodynamics were made clear. He will apply those lessons Saturday night when the NASCAR Sprint Cup series races under the lights at Daytona International Speedway where drafting and aerodynamics are critical to success.

VICKERS ON LEARNING ABOUT AERODYNAMICS THROUGH CYCLING: “There are definitely things I have learned in cycling and sport bikes that apply to all the race tracks we go to, particularly Daytona and drafting. It’s amazing how much a difference being in a draft makes. When you are in a car you don’t realize it as much because you just go a little faster and a little slower in the right spot. When you are on a bicycle and you are the engine you really, really notice the effort. When you are cycling and you are 2, 3 or 4 guys back in a pack the amount of effort you expend to peddle is so much less. If you watch a cycling race you will see the guys in the middle of the big pack that aren’t even peddling. It’s pretty amazing. All that kind of just gave me a greater understanding of drafting and how aerodynamics work.”

FSU PAINT SCHEME IN DAYTONA:

Vickers’ No. 55 Toyota will carry a special paint scheme Saturday night honoring Florida State University’s 2013 BCS National Championship football team. The garnet and gold paint scheme on the Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota will include the FSU BCS National Championship logo on the hood. Vickers will also wear a special FSU driver uniform for the race.

Fans at FSU’s April 12 Spring Game saw the car unveiling and watched a special message from Vickers on the video board. Vickers drove a special paint scheme honoring the University of Louisville’s national championship basketball team at Kentucky Speedway last year. Aaron’s and MWR have honored Alabama and Auburn national football championships at Talladega Superspeedway four times since 2009.

VICKERS ON FSU PAINT SCHEME: “It’s cool. I don’t really follow enough other sports to be fanatical about any team, but I understand how big a deal this is for the school and for us to have the national champions on the car. Florida is my home state now and to be at Daytona with FSU is really a good thing. This was a great idea by Aaron’s, I hope this gets us a few extra cheers at driver introductions.”

MWR PR